Where Secrets Lie

The next morning, the sunlight coming in from the balcony window disturbed Kara's sleep. She rolled to the right and saw the loveliest sight she had ever seen. Michael lay naked beside her, half covered by the sheet, the light reflecting off of his flawless skin.

He was staring right back at her, bright-eyed. "Good morning, beautiful," he purred, running his fingers up and down her body. She pulled the sheets up, hiding. He laughed. "Why are you hiding? I already saw and felt, everything last night." He winked at her, and she melted.

Kara sat up in the bed and blew her messy blonde hair out of her face. "Yeah, well so did I. Not that impressive." It was an obvious lie. To say that she was impressed would have been an understatement.

Michael smiled. He sat up and whispered in her ear. "Would you like to see it again?"

She did want to, but something about it still made her nervous. "I−," Michael cut her off by pressing his lips to hers.

He stopped kissing her for a moment. "There was a time when I thought that once I had you, these feelings would go away."

Kara's fear began to rise. "And?"

"It made me want you more."

She lost herself in the grey storm that swirled in his eyes. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He started to kiss her shoulder then neck but they were both left shocked and disappointed when they heard the door bang against the wall. Henry ran in, un-phased by their nudity. "It's Hannah," he gasped, "she's−"

"Here" A tall, pale woman with dark eyes and hair finished his sentence. She waltzed up behind Henry, as graceful as a gazelle.

Michael leaped up out of the bed and started pulling on his slacks. "What are you doing here? I never gave you permission to come into my house, let alone my room." The loving side of him that Kara had been seeing was now gone, and he was back to being the vampire that she knew.

"I don't discuss private matters in front of servants." Hannah glared at Kara with a cold stare, and it didn't take Kara long to get the hint.

She wrapped herself in the covers and started to climb out of bed to flee Michael's anger and this strange woman. "No, Kara, stay," Michael demanded.

Kara hesitated. This woman seemed to have some authority and power if she could just barge into Michael's room, but Michael was her master. She didn't know whom instructions to follow, but she decided to listen to Michael, and she sat back down on the bed.

Michael smiled. "This one is immune to compulsion, Hannah."

Kara simply looked back and forth between the two of them. She had no idea what was going on or what to do.

"Hmmm." She smiled at Kara as if she were a cute little puppy. "Well, aren't you something? Make her leave."

Kara decided that she didn't really want to see where this conversation was going after all. She started pulling her clothes on. "Don't worry, I'm leaving," she said as she slipped on her flats.

Hannah watched as Henry started to escort Kara out of the room, but there was a sudden breeze as Michael rushed to her side. He held her hand and smiled. "We'll talk later," he whispered and kissed her cheek.

Hannah looked on with jealousy. "Michael, you should be careful or people will start saying that you actually care for that human." She chuckled at her joke but was taken aback when he didn't join in her laughter.

"What do you want, Hannah?" He paced the room, anxious for her to leave.

"As you know, the merger celebration is coming up in a couple of days." She knew the merger was far more important to her than it was to him.

He glanced at her accusingly. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I was under the impression that we were meeting at the party."

"The elders think that we should be spending more time with each other and that we should show up together at the party. After all, we are betrothed."